Guadalupe Mountains, Pratt's Cabin, a Grotto and a magnificent experience

We camped for two nights at the Pine Springs Campground at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It is just over the border in Texas and also on the border between Mountain and Central Time. Our phones kept getting it wrong. This is a problem, because we use my phone for a bedtime and wake alarm. I find that I sleep better when I have a consistent sleep schedule, so I turn off the light at 10 pm and wake at 6 am. It is more difficult in the months with shorter days; I don't love waking up in the dark. The campground was a small one, and it has been unfavorably compared to a parking lot, but I loved it. Great views, plus we were on the side with a lovely tree for shade. I made reservations to camp here a few weeks ago. Planning so far ahead does reduce the spontaneity of the journey, but I would really have trouble sleeping if I didn't know that we will have a safe space to park every night.

In the evening shade of the R-Pod.

Our spot. No one in the two sites blocking our view until our second night.

A great view.

Russ eats his lunch after we parked the rig.

 

We took a short nature hike at the Pine Springs (Main) Visitors Center after we settled into our camp site. It feels good to do some kind of walk every day. The sunsets and sunrises are amazing here, too. We saw a deer on our walk, and some more desert plants and bugs.

The plain (basin) shows up behind the tree. We are higher here.

Can you spot the preying mantis in the aloe?

Mountains and clouds with tree.

These doves roosted in our shade tree at night.

The remains of a Butterfield Stage stop.

Marker for the stage stop.

 

In the morning, we drove to McKittrick Canyon and did the hike along it. Most of the hike was under trees, so it stayed relatively cool most of the time we hiked. The last mile or so on the return was in full sun, however, so my face turned into a tomato from the heat. The Pratt Cabin was impressive... more like a stone house. They left it slightly furnished, including chairs on the porch where you could sit and enjoy the canyon view. About a mile past the cabin was the Grotto, our end point. It was cool and lovely. We ending up staying and talking to a Volunteer Ranger named Wilson for longer than we planned, hence the hot return trip.

It was easy to lose the trail as it crossed the dry creek bed.

The canyon guardians.

Russ, illuminated.

Water! I loved these light purple flowers and the edge.

A stone cabin in the woods.

The porch ready for sitting.

Butterflies everywhere.

The trail continued up to the notch... too much for today.

Limestone formations.

I think these formations are called tufas.

Wilson. An adventurer and a storyteller.

Vegetable tikka masala with rice for dinner.

It would have been nice to stay for another day and see another area of the park, but I could only get two nights at the campground. Since there are no hook-ups, we had plenty of fresh water for a shower after our sweaty hike.